As costs go up and funding is cut, many schools have had to resort to charging students for services that were once free. The thinking goes that it's better to charge and save a program than to let it go.

And so, things like parking, transportation, and playing sports come with a price tag. Some schools throw extracurricular activities into the mix, figuring that if athletes have to pay, those whose talents and interests lie elsewhere ought to pay as well.

When costs are added up, a family with just one child in high school could end up doling out $900 or more for added costs, excluding things like lunch, and materials and supplies.

This year, Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School, faced with a 23 percent cut in the athletic department budget, has decided to charge a $100 fee for the use of its fitness center before and after school.

At first, the center was closed completely after school, before officials came up the idea of charing a fee.

Sudbury taxpayers have every reason to be upset. Sure $100 isn't a lot. The amount could easily be blown on a dinner for two at an area restaurant. And yes, the fee is way less than one would pay for a lower quality, privately run gym in MetroWest.

It's the principle of the matter. Homeowners paid for the state-of-the-art school, and I bet, if they were told up front that one day a charge would be levied to use one section of the building, some would have chosen to do without the center.

"I think it's sort of the best case scenario for a lousy situation," said Athletic Director Nancy O'Neil in this week's Sudbury Town Crier.

O'Neil, who admits to receiving a lot of complaints about the new charge, said she doesn't blame the public for being frustrated and upset.

The students? Some get O'Neil's point. Others, like Adrien Rousson, question the fairness.

"I think it's pretty ridiculous," the 15-year-old said. "Our taxes go to it and teachers can use it for free. Some of the teachers live out of town."

Even if the out-of-town teachers who use the facility were forced to pay, it probably wouldn't change much. New money is not rolling in. Unless cuts are made elsewhere or new taxes approved, the situation will not change. This year's $100 fee may be $125 next year, $150 after that, and up and up it goes.

Well, there is a third option. Although it might not work in this situation since there's a question of health and safety, it's something schools, and taxpayers ought to consider: tapping into the willingness of volunteers to help out.

A perfect example is occurring in the Ashland Public Schools, which recently reopened libraries at three elementary schools. They had been closed for a full year due to budget cuts which forced the elimination of librarians.

As reported in The Ashland TAB, upward of 80 volunteers have signed up to partially reopen the libraries and help children to find and check out materials.

Who knows, if over the summer long before the start of the new year, L-S administrators had told parents about the situation and options being considered, someone might have come up with a better solution, a way to keep the center open after hours without having to charge students.

Bottom line, it wouldn't have hurt to ask.

Jeff Adair is Daily News editor and reporter. He can be reached at jadair@cnc.com.